Profile
by thearchetypes
Summary: Jack signs up for a dating website. Eric/Jack. E/J Slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, I'm just going to give this a go. This will be a multi-chapter fic and I hope it doesn't suck. R&R. :)**

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><p>His hands trembling slightly as he clicked the "sign up" button the computer screen, Jack pressed the mouse and clenched his teeth, not believing he had just registered for a dating website.<p>

Jack had no problem picking up women, with his good looks and charming smile, but that didn't really matter to him since he was_ gay_. For as long as he could remember, he was in love with his male roommate, who he was certain didn't share the same feeling. At first, he forced himself into thinking that Eric was the only guy he ever liked and he was completely straight besides that. But as time went on, he started noticing more men, and the thought of having sex with a woman vanished from his mind.

He supposed he should have figured it out sooner. When he was sixteen and had his first time with a woman, he confided to his best friend, Andrew, that it felt unnatural and uncomfortable. He was quickly assured that after his first time, it would be better. After his second, third, fourth, _fifth_ sexual experience, he had given up completely. None of the gang knew the real reason he stopped going after Rachel. It was because she had made a move on _him_, he panicked and ran out of the room. It took him two days at a hotel before he realized that he didn't like women. After figuring that out, he returned to the apartment and apologized to Rachel, who forgot about it a few days later.

Jack wanted to try dating a man to confirm his suspicions, but he was too frightened to go out on the streets of Philadelphia and pick up a guy (certain there was some kind of manual he forgot to pick up when he realized he preferred men over women), so he resorted to the internet to help him. He still had feelings for Eric, but he refused to try anything on him, in fear he would scare his very straight roommate away and end their friendship.

"Hey bud, what are you doing?" Eric's voice caused Jack to jump right out his seat, but not before he furiously exited out of the browser.

"Working on a paper." He feigned a smile as he latched onto Eric's hand to help himself off the floor that broke his fall.

"Mind taking a break? There's a new Catherine Stone movie out and you know what that means." His eyebrows raised up to suggest that it was something Jack, in his newfound discovery, wouldn't enjoy that much, but something that Eric would. He clucked his tongue in false excited approval, and grabbed his jacket.

"Sure, man. Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

As Jack fidgeted into his theater seat, Eric was busy munching on a bag of popcorn.

The Catherine Stone movie was called "Dressed To Kill" and it was a watery plot with a few naked girls (including Ivanka Vanvekei, played by the lovely Mrs. Stone), yawn-inducing chase scenes, and some cheesy espionage themes thrown in. It was a mediocre movie at best, and Jack didn't see how it had such rave reviews. He supposed it was the steamy sex scene between Ivana and Charles Strong (portrayed by Peter Fox, the dreamy new firefighter on 30 Chances), that drew the critics and fans to rate it so highly.

As the rowdy guys in the rows behind them hooted their frat boys calls, Eric glanced over at Jack with a nudge and wink, and Jack had responded with a suggestive chuckle, even though he had only watched it to see Peter take off his shirt. He had watched the girl in the scene as well, noticing the curve of her breasts and the dainty little fingers she drew down his back, and he had felt nothing. It only added to his evidence that he really was, in fact, gay.

Jack felt a bag shove into his arm and looked to his right to see Eric offering him popcorn. He munched on a few pieces and gestured his thanks. Turning his attention back to the movie, he was met by the seductive smile of another one Strong's lovers. He silently groaned to himself, not wanting to sit through another hour of the awful, _awful _movie.

"How did you like the film? That Catherine Stone is a babe! Man, did you see her during those sex scenes." Eric whistled airily, looking at Jack. He replied with a slight nod and a weak smile.

"Peter Fox is a really good actor, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess, but it wasn't his acting I was focusing on." Eric laughed, putting his shoulder over Jack's as they walked back to his car. The sensation of having his hand on him made Jack feel like he was in high school again. He liked how Eric could still give him butterflies.

The minute the boys came home, Jack rushed to the computer, logging onto his dating website profile. He had a couple matches, one of them being a guy who described himself as "orally talented" and looked like a serial killer. Jack shuddered slightly at his photo, clicking through to see the other person.

His profile was picture-less, but the description told plenty. He was around the same age as Jack, even went to the same college as him, and seemed like he had a lot of the same interests. He noted the stranger's favorite color (blue) and his favorite movie (The Godfather, Part II) and nodded to himself in approval. He scrolled down and saw even more things they had in common and decided to take a chance. Even if he didn't know what the other guy looked like, he had a gut feeling he was a good one. Besides, he would suggest they meet in a public place and if the person turned out to be a psycho, Jack was a strong guy who could throw a punch or two.

Plus, Eric had a lot of the same interests as well, and if Jack were to ever out himself to his roommate, Eric would definitely approve of the guy he was seeing. If everything turned out well.

His breath hitching slightly, he clicked the "send message" icon and began to type.

_Hey! I'm Jack!_

Backspace.

_Hey, I'm Jack. ;)_

Backspace. Jack popped his knuckles to keep himself steady and resumed typing. He had to think of a greeting that was friendly, not too forward, and perfect enough so that the other guy would accept his offer to meet up. Jack hadn't put a profile picture himself, in fear of his Pennbrook classmates finding it.

_Hey, I'm Jack. I saw your profile and you look like you have a lot of the same interests as me. :) I was wondering if you'd like to meet up somewhere to get coffee or something. Respond if you'd want to. _

_Jack_

Jack sent the message quickly before he could change his mind, letting out a nervous breath. He was unbelievably terrified, but also so, _so_ excited.


	3. Chapter 3

After a week of messaging back and forth, Jack and the stranger had exchanged phone numbers and decided on a nearby cafe to meet up at. The coffeehouse was private and not too big, hidden by its large surroundings and blending in from the hustle and bustle of the city of brotherly love. It was almost considered underground, its customers being a crowd of poets and stoners. It would be the first time they would see each other and speak to each other. They both had the others' digits, but neither one had dared to call. They were both too apprehensive.

The stranger's name turned out to be Rick, four letters Jack had deemed to be lovely by the end of week. He was all too pleased with his match.

On the day of the "date," Jack had fretted over his choice of clothing, his cologne scent, and the way his hair spiked. After a long panicked discussion with Rachel, he finally prepared himself. He desired asking Eric to help him, but Eric had gone out to visit Cory for some brother bonding time.

He supposed he should've told Eric, but there really was no way to quickly say "Oh hey, roomie, guess what? I like guys and I'm going on a date with one in five minutes. See ya." It just didn't work like that. But again, Eric was his best friend. People should know whether their best friends like kissing boys or girls.

He had slipped it to Rachel about the whole "gay" thing, who responded enthusiastically, but it was merely an accident. When they were choosing his cologne, he had unintentionally asked what smell guys prefer on other guys. That set the six foot tall redhead off on a string of pestering questions until Jack had finally broken down and revealed everything about the dating website and his feelings for Eric and possibly other men. She was giddy, probably way more giddy than Jack should have been for his date, but he appreciated her acceptance. At least then he had someone to talk about his date with.

"Are you ready?" Rachel squealed, clapping her hands together and placing a small kiss on Jack's cheek for good luck. He was on his way out and his female roommate was hovering all over him, making sure he was looking spick and span perfect.

"Yeah, yeah." He pushed Rachel off with a wave of his hand, but he secretly loved that she was so happy for him. She made him feel a bit more confident. "I'll be back before midnight, _mom_." He smiled at her and returned the kiss, walking out the door. Their relationship wasn't quite so awkward anymore, as they could freely be affectionate with each other without it being weird. He decidedly liked it better that way.

Jack sat in a comfortable chair in the corner of the cafe. It was a cozy little place, with boho quirks and poetry readings in the corner. The place was dark, which calmed Jack down a bit, but still, he fretted nervously, playing with his fingers, a napkin, his phone, anything he could get his hands on. He was a few minutes early, but he figured it was better than being late. He cracked his knuckles repeatedly, staring at the door for his potential date. A million questions raced through his mind, most of them jumping to worse-case scenarios. As more people began to go in and out, he started to get more anxious.

His anxiety reached an all-time high when a familiar face walked in though.

It was Eric, clearly not having brotherly bonding time with Cory. Jack, thoroughly confused, stood up, making his way to his unexpected friend.

"Eric? What are you doing here?"

Eric took a few seconds before he registered the fact that Jack was standing right in front of him, in one of the least known places in town. Jack furrowed his brow at him, waiting for an answer.

"I'm meeting someone. Old friend I haven't seen in a couple of years. Cory had something to do with Topanga and he was in Philly so…" Eric said confidently, almost eerily too certain. Eric was lying through the pearly white smile that was plastered on his face, and Jack knew it. "What about you?" His question caught Jack off guard, but he quickly improvised an excuse.

"Meeting someone also. New friend I met when I worked with him on a project in class." He flashed a quick grin and sat back down. "Wanna hang with me until he comes?" Jack cleared his throat and gestured to the empty seat next to him. Eric nodded and took his spot, positioning himself to face Jack.

"So weird that we would both be meeting people at the same place, huh?" He commented, glancing around the dimly lit coffeehouse.

"Yeah. So you're meeting your friend, right? That's cool that he's in town," Jack remarked absentmindedly, trying to keep himself from worrying about Rick.

"Yup. He's a really cool guy. I think you would like him. His name's Jack, like yours. And he likes the Godfather Part II, like us. He has a lot of the same interests you do, you know?" Eric rambled on, almost dreamily. "He should've been here by now though… What's your friend's name?"

Jack could barely manage a word as Eric babbled on, not believing what had just happened.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack's mouth made a popping sound as it dropped open. He was usually never one for speechlessness, but the situation called for silence. Eric looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. He regained his composure and gave a measly smile. His thoughts were all over the place. He had signed up for a dating website, met a potential date, and decided to meet up with said guy, who turned out to be his best friend and roommate. Jack took a deep breath before he looked at Eric seriously.

"Eric. This is going to sound really weird… But did you sign up for a dating website?" Jack sucked in air nervously as older male looked at him suspiciously.

"What?" He let out a small laugh, his face contorted in confusion. Jack let out a sigh of relief. If Eric hadn't signed up for a dating site, then Rick couldn't be him…

But then again, Rick and Eric were practically the same person — they even had similar names. Rick hadn't offered a profile picture. Perhaps, Eric was thinking the same thing as Jack when he registered. Putting a photo was way too risky.

"Nothing." Jack shook his head, not believing he actually thought Eric was his compatible match.

"I mean. I did… But how did you know?" Jack's face was then the one twisted up in bewilderment. So Eric was Rick after all. And obviously, Eric himself hadn't figured out that Jack was the Jack from the website, even though they had the same name. Jack knew Eric wasn't the brightest bulb in the box, but he didn't think he could be that oblivious. They had the same name!

"Oh god…" He muttered, glancing to the other side of the room, hoping the door would open and some guy named Rick would show up and Jack would be completely wrong. But only the sounds of another agonizing poetry read filled the silence between the two boys as Eric stared at him, befuddled, pressuring him with a look to explain himself. "Eric. We're each others' matches. I'm Jack. And you're Rick." Jack rolled his eyes, slightly agitated that Eric didn't catch on.

But that raised a larger question. Why was Eric on that website, where he bluntly stated "Interested In Men"? He had to be keeping the same secret as Jack was. Unless Rick was really another guy. But if it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding where Eric had signed up for a completely different, a completely _straight _dating website, then Jack was absolutely screwed.

The thought of running out of the coffeehouse seemed so appealing to him at that moment.

"Jack?" Eric's eyes widened at the realization. He cupped his mouth in his hands and inhaled sharply, running his fingers through his face and hair. He seemed just as embarrassed as Jack was. "Wow… Um. This is awkward. I should go. Okay." Jack's eyebrows furrowed as the other male stood up to leave. Eric was supposed to the brave one. He was supposed to be saying "let's talk about this." But the tables were turned.

"No," Jack said firmly before tugging him down by the sleeve of his jacket. He definitely wasn't as intrepid as he seemed, but by God, he was going to try to give off the appearance that he was. "We're going to sit and discuss this in an adult-like way."

Eric could only give him a distressed smile before breaking free from his hold and going out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

This will probably be finished next chapter. :)

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><p>"Eric?" There was nothing but silence on the other end, besides the noise of a Beavis and Butthead movie, which was doing absolutely nothing to comfort Jack. He was standing languidly, leaning against the door, pleading for Eric to come out and talk. But the other boy was a Matthew, and Matthews tended to be stubborn. But Jack wasn't going to give up. Eric wasn't the only person who had gotten humiliated back in the coffeehouse, and he needed him to know it was okay. "Come on, we can just forget this whole thing happened if you want. Seriously." Jack was so close to breaking the door, his hand gripping the handle so firmly that his muscles were bulging out of the sleeve of his arm and the golden knob strained resistantly.<p>

He heard the volume go louder on the television, and knew it was time to let it go. Jack walked back to the kitchen, settling down on a seat adjacent to the island, and turned to face Rachel. He wasn't going to give up just yet.

"He'll come around, Jack. Just give it some time. You know Eric. He acts all goofy in public, but we're his friends and we know that he only does it so he doesn't have to deal with his emotions," Rachel offered, trying to remedy her friend's feelings. She was dicing tomatos for dinner, dumping each batch into the clear glass bowl. She hadn't made dinner in awhile, but she knew the boys needed some cheering up, and her salsa was one of Eric's favorites.

They were quiet for a moment, Rachel slicing, and Jack staring at the vegetable morosely. It was absolutely maddening.

"Rachel?" Jack spoke up, almost timidly, his hands entwining in his lap, twisting fervently. Sure, he had a little trouble voicing his opinion, but he wasn't one for shyness. "I don't know what you're doing with your hands, but we're going to have a white Christmas all over my dinner, so, Jack, sweetie, can you not? And yes?" She replied with a sticky-sweet voice, finishing the last bit of the food. Even if Jack was upset, she wasn't going to act like a nun. Her red hair was the only thing that was fiery.

He had to smile at that, remembering what he did see in her. "Sorry," he apologized, clearing his throat. "Could you see him and I together? Like as a couple." His head shot down with the question, avoiding the redhead's smarmy expression.

"Uh huh… Well, I think I could see you guys together. You two do practically everything together. Hell, I think you guys have even seen each other naked more than once," she responded casually, rubbing her lips together in an apprehensive manner. She eyed him beadily before her mouth dropped open and she began screaming. "Jack Hunter! Oh my god. Oh my god!" Jack could only stare at her indignantly, shaking his head with a furious decline.

"If you're thinking what I think you're doing, then no! I could never! It was only a question! Rachel, if you don't freaking sit down, I swear to God I will tackle you!" He tried to quieten her down, making incensed motions of his hands before finally clutching onto one of her slender arms and pulling her down from her rapid bounces.

She calmed down, clapping her hands together enthusiastically, clearly accelerated by this piece of information. "You love him. Don't even. I knew it! You know, I bet he likes you too," she giggled girlishly, slipping a red slice into her mouth. "This is seriously so adorable. But weird. I mean, I'm going to be the straight friend now. With two gay guys living with me. I don't know whether I should move out or have a party," Rachel rambled on, making wild gestures with her hands.

"You need to stop," Jack rebutted, grabbing one of her hands. "First off, I don't like Eric, and he doesn't like me. And you are not moving out nor are you throwing a party. Don't make a big deal out of this." He released his hold, picking up a tomato piece of his own and eating it. "Besides. Even if I did like him, which I'm not saying I do, he would never speak to me again so it would be pointless anyway," he added, not meeting Rachel's eyes.

That was obviously the wrong thing to say by the sign of her extreme adulation. "Jack and Eric kissing in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," she sing-songed, lowering her voice down an octave so the latter couldn't hear.

"Shhh! Shush!" He made a mental note to get a muzzle later. "God, no wonder I go for guys, girls talk too much," he growled with a shake of his head.

"Whatever, he can't hear us through that stupid Beavis and Butthead crap he's watching. Which, by the way, you need to get him to stop watching when you two date," she remarked with a subtle slide of her fingers across the wooden board. She grinned at his annoyed expression, drinking in his irritation. She loved teasing her friends, even if it was something as serious as that.

"One more word. I will pin you to the floor."

"Ooh, I know who you're going to imagine me as-"

She could barely finish the sentence before she hit the floor, butt first.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm aware. This chapter is extremely short, but I wanted to get it finished. So voila. Le ending. :)  
>Thanks for reading, guys.<p>

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><p>"That's it, boys. I'm done being the middleman. You two are going to talk to each other and you're not going to complain one bit," the red head scolded as the two boys were being shoved into the dark closet. As fragile as she seemed, the strength she was using to force the two muscle-heavy men indicated the opposite.<p>

It had been a week since they spoke to each other; Jack giving up any hope of making up with Eric, and the latter just flat-out avoiding all human contact. Rachel became exasperated as the lack of communication between the two friends, and decided to do something about it, and since they wouldn't willingly talk to each other, she was the one to force them.

"Hey, I'm the one who tried to talk to him! Rachel, let go of me!" Jack barely uttered out the last word as he fell back onto the pile of coats and jackets in the closet, and soon discovered darkness as the door slammed shut behind them. It locked with a loud click as Jack let out a deep sigh.

"So I guess we have to work this out." Jack peered into the black at the other boy's voice, trying to find a semblance of a silhouette. He reached out instinctively, accidentally poking a finger into Eric's neck. He slapped it away as Jack mumbled a small apology.

"Well, since we're stuck in here, I guess we do." There was no reply. "Eric, I don't think you should be embarrassed about this. I'm your best friend, man. You really think I'm going to tell anyone about this? If you really want, I can forget the entire thing even happened. I just don't want this to come between us. I've put up with enough of your craziness to give up now." He offered a weak smile, but dropped it when he heard no response.

"I really liked you, Jack," came a whisper from the other side. "That's why I was embarrassed. Because it turned out to be you."

"Liked?" Jack swallowed the thick lump in his throat, bracing himself for the answer.

"Like," he said with conviction as he slowly nodded.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Eric heard a soft rustle, the other boy's outline looking like he was standing up, but to his surprise, he was leaning forward. Their faces met, and the next thing that came out of Jack's mouth was the best thing he had ever heard.

"I like you too."

Before he had time to react, he felt a mouth melt onto his, confessing themselves into a kiss.

"Well," began a smug female voice belonging to their roommate, "it doesn't look like we have a problem anymore, does it?"


End file.
